Iowa High School Football Playoffs: Pella Vs. Cedar Rapids Xavier

Saints put perfect record on line against defending 4A state runner-up Dutch

Emmanuel Diers led Pella to a win in the state semifinals in Iowa Thursday. / IHSAA

Coming off a heartbreaking loss in the finals last year, Pella is back seeking gold in Iowa high school football in Class 4A.

The Dutch square off with top-ranked and undefeated Cedar Rapids Xavier on Thursday inside the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa for the state title.

Live streaming for the contest will be available on YouTube via Iowa PBS of all the championship games.

Here is a breakdown of what to look for when each team has the ball and when each team is on defense, along with key season information for the teams still alive.

Iowa High School Football Class 4A State Championship Game

Pella Dutch (11-1)

• Defeated Ballard, 26-7
• Defeated Waverly-Shell Rock, 10-3
• Defeated North Scott, 10-3
• Defeated North Polk, 19-15
• Defeated Marion, 48-0
• Lost to Newton, 35-33
• Defeated Oskaloosa, 35-0
• Defeated Clear Creek-Amana, 44-7
• Defeated Grinnell, 14-0
• Defeated Davenport North, 17-14*
• Defeated Decorah, 7-6*
• Defeated Sergeant Bluff-Luton, 35-14*

When the Dutch are on offense: Senior Emmanuel Diers is one of the carryover players from a year ago, as he has shined as a senior. Diers has 1,700 yards rushing and 14 touchdowns, with another 370 yards receiving and four scores on over 300 touches. Logan VanDeBroek and Harrison Mullens are both capable receivers for quarterback Michael Manning, as VanDenBroek has 472 yards and six TDs on 26 receptions while Mullens has 395 and seven on 41.

Manning has stepped in as a first-year starter, throwing for 1,522 yards and 17 touchdowns with another 204 yards on the ground and a score. Riker Branderhorst has complemented both in the backfield with 191 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

When the Dutch are on defense: No team in the state has relied more on the defense than Pella, as the Dutch have held eight teams to seven points or less. They are also 5-1 in one-score games, with the lone loss coming to semifinalist Newton. Kyler VanMaanen has 23.5 tackles for loss among his 90.5 stops, as the team has nine sacks, 72 tackles for loss and 15 interceptions, led by six picks from Rex Rhamy.

Cedar Rapids Xavier Saints (12-0)

• Defeated North Scott, 31-0
• Defeated Western Dubuque, 21-13
• Defeated Clear Creek-Amana, 54-21
• Defeated Williamsburg, 45-14
• Defeated Cedar Rapids Washington, 42-15
• Defeated Waverly-Shell Rock, 42-21
• Defeated Waterloo East, 61-18
• Defeated Decorah, 34-0
• Defeated Mason City, 41-3
• Defeated Waverly-Shell Rock, 47-0*
• Defeated ADM, 45-7*
• Defeated Newton, 31-24*

When the Saints are on offense: Junior Cash Parks currently has a quarterback rating of 239.5 thanks to his 2,077 yards, 27 touchdowns and just two picks. He has completed 73 percent of his passes, adding 375 yards rushing and 10 scores. Standing right beside or directly behind him is Carter Hoffmann, as the senior has 1,132 yards rushing and 16 TDs, averaging 6.4 per carry. Dustin Cook has 347 yards and Dawson Doyle another 256 for the Saints.

Out wide is standout Ryan Kelly, as the senior has pulled down 43 receptions for 685 yards with nine touchdowns. Cook has over 500 yards receiving while AJ Evans - a James Madison basketball commit - has 261 and four scores. Hoffmann also has 115 yards receiving with a pair of touchdowns.

When the Saints are on defense: Both Beau Morio and Nolan Wilgenbusch are credited with 10 tackles for loss, as Cedar Rapids Xavier has 50 tackles behind the line of scrimmage as a team. They also have 12 sacks with 15 interceptions and seven fumble recoveries. Michael Bean has a team-high four picks as both Kelly and Ty Weiss have special teams touchdowns off returns.

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